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short-seed waterwort

small waterwort, élatine naine

Habit Herbs, submersed or emersed on wet substrates, 0.5–3(–5) cm. Herbs, submersed or emersed on wet substrates, 0.2–3(–10) cm.
Stems

ascending or prostrate, branched.

erect or ascending, usually unbranched, sometimes 1–2 branched.

Leaves

reddish green;

stipules lanceolate, 0.5–0.6 mm, margins dentate, apex acute;

petiole (0–)1–3 mm;

blade narrowly oblong to ovate, 3–8 × 1–3 mm, base cuneate to rounded, apex rounded to obtuse.

green;

stipules lanceolate, 0.2 mm, margins entire, apex rounded;

petiole 0–1 mm;

blade elliptic to oblanceolate or spatulate, 0.3–5(–11) × 0.7–1.8(–4) mm, base rounded to truncate, apex obtuse-acute.

Pedicels

0–0.4 mm, erect.

0–0.2 mm, erect.

Flowers

sepals (2–)3, equal, oblong-ovate, 1.1–1.3 × 0.3 mm;

petals 3, pinkish, elliptic or ovate, 1–1.5 × 0.5 mm;

stamens 3;

styles 3.

cleistogamous when submersed;

sepals 2, equal, ovate to oblong, 0.5 × 0.3 mm;

petals 2, reddish, long-elliptic, elliptic, or ovate, 1–1.5 × 0.5 mm;

stamens 2;

styles 2.

Capsules

globose, 3-locular, 1.1–1.7 mm diam.

oblong-ovoid, 2-locular, 0.9–1.5 mm diam.

Seeds

(6–)10–15 per locule, oblong, straight or curved to 30°, 0.3–0.5 × 0.1–0.3 mm;

pits ± round, length 1–2 times width, in 6(–8) rows, (9–)14–17 per row.

4–9 per locule, thickly cylindric to barrel-shaped, straight, 0.4–0.5(–0.7) × 0.2(–0.3) mm;

pits elliptic, length 1.2–1.6 times width, in 8–9 rows, (11–)15–20 per row.

Elatine brachysperma

Elatine minima

Phenology Flowering summer–early fall. Flowering summer.
Habitat Muddy shores, often of ponds or reservoirs. Shores (sometimes intertidal) or in water to 2 m deep, sandy substrates mixed with organic debris, abandoned sunfish nests.
Elevation 0–1500(–2200) m. (0–4900(–7200) ft.) 0–400 m. (0–1300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AZ; CA; GA; IL; LA; MT; NE; NM; NV; OH; OK; OR; TX; WA; WY; BC; Mexico (Baja California); South America (Argentina)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CT; DE; IL; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; NC; NH; NJ; NY; PA; RI; SC; TN; VA; VT; WI; NB; NL; NS; ON; PE; QC; SK; SPM
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 353. FNA vol. 12, p. 353.
Parent taxa Elatinaceae > Elatine Elatinaceae > Elatine
Sibling taxa
E. ambigua, E. americana, E. californica, E. chilensis, E. heterandra, E. minima, E. ojibwayensis, E. rubella, E. triandra
E. ambigua, E. americana, E. brachysperma, E. californica, E. chilensis, E. heterandra, E. ojibwayensis, E. rubella, E. triandra
Synonyms Alsinastrum brachyspermum, E. obovata, E. triandra var. brachysperma, E. triandra var. obovata, Potamopitys brachysperma Crypta minima
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 13: 361, 363. (1878) (Nuttall) Fischer & C. A. Meyer: Linnaea 10: 73. (1835)
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